A MOTORIST who was hit by a drink-driver has spoken of his disbelief after the woman was disqualified for just two months.

Mother-of-four Helen Thwaite, 41, crashed into Liam McDermott’s car when she was more than double the legal alcohol limit in November.

This week Mr McDermott said he felt ‘abused and insulted’ following Thwaite’s court hearing, in which she admitted driving without insurance, as well as while drunk.

In addition to a two-month ban, Woking magistrates imposed a £350 fine and ordered Thwaite to pay a total of £58 costs after she pleaded ‘exceptional hardship’ last Thursday.

Mr McDermott, 22, of Weybarton, Byfleet, was driving home from Woking, with girlfriend Anneline Le Brasseur, 23, when the incident happened in Scotland Bridge Road, West Byfleet, at 12.45am on November 18.

The couple, who both work at Tesco in Brooklands, were left with whiplash and bruising. Mr McDermott’s VW Golf was written off by the impact.

Thwaite, of Parkside, West Byfleet, was driving a blue Mazda. Her alcohol level was found to be 166mg in 100mls of blood, the court heard. The legal limit is 80mg.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr McDermott said: “I am amazed we managed to get out alive. Thank God for the airbags and seat belts and the car’s ability to stand up to the impact. I feel abused and insulted with the result.

“The doctor signed me off for four weeks in total. I’m on a management training course and being off work has really set me back. People in the same position as myself have been promoted and I feel like I have missed out.

“This woman wrecked my car, caused us injury, both physically and mentally, and turned our lives upside down. She was drunk and should never have got behind the wheel.”

Thwaite avoided a longer ban after pleading exceptional hardship to the bench.

Her solicitor, Stephen Thomas, said in mitigation: “This was not a planned incident. She had experienced a serious betrayal of trust, which had severe consequences for her children and family. She had been shopping and came home about 5pm and had about two glasses of wine.

“Her partner then bought a bottle of wine to have with their dinner and she had two further glasses.

“She had known her partner for a few years and this particular evening he told her he had been lying to her about a female companion and Miss Thwaite’s bond of trust stopped. She felt betrayed, dirty and angry.”

Mr Thomas told the court that Thwaite, who is unemployed and has four children aged between six and 17, then left in her partner’s car.

He said that the driving without insurance matter arose after his client had stopped her insurance for a month because she had been having hospital treatment and was advised not to drive for that period.

She got behind the wheel of her partner’s car believing she was covered under his insurance but it was later discovered he had down-graded his policy to a third party category.

He explained that his client was establishing a painting and decorating business and that her children would suffer if she lost her licence.